ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL PARISIAN DAY

Wednesday morning we reloaded our Metro passes so we are set to go anywhere we want. Michele, our Parisian friend invited us to see a modern art exhibition from the collection of Francois Pinault. We left a little early so we could see some sites along the way to meet her. First, we wanted to walk through the Tulleries garden so we took the metro and got off at the Concord station.

The beautiful gardens and fountains were enjoyed by many people and a few screaming kids.

We passed by the Louvre on our way to a light lunch.

Michele suggested we visit the Bourse de Commerce Pinault Collection. It's housed in the newly remodeled magnificent Bourse de Commerce building. It was an old commodities trading building but is now owned by the city of Paris. They have turned it into a building to behold.

Tickets in hand and Michele with us we entered for what was to be quite an experience.

It is a circular building and you enter into a rotunda with a domed ceiling and a beautiful fresco painted all the way around the impressive circular room.

It's a partial collection of modern art owned by Francois Pinault, one of the richest men in the world. He owns the Kering Group, which inludes among a lot of other things, Gucci and YSL. Well, again as in Oslo, we saw beautiful, interesting and strange art.

One room had a dancing man surounded by a square of bright lights.

Another room had walls of alumium foil over a porous material and invited guests to add their own "art pieces" to it.

So, I did!

It was quite a unique experience and I'm glad we got to see it. Michele also wanted us to see the newly renovated Samaritaine deparment store.

It was truly a gorgeous sight to see. This very upscale store with unique displays at every turn is owned by another wealthy French business man, Bernard Arnault. He is sometimes referred to as the richest man in the world. He owns, among many other things, Louis Vuitton, Moet and Hennessy.

There was even a whole wall of the world's most expensive champagnes, including Dom Perignon!

Back to the apartment for a short rest before meeting Michele, Stephane and her friend, Nadine for dinner. Tom met Michele and her son Stephane thirty-eight years ago when he was vacationing with his family in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

His son Brian and Stephane were nine years old. They are forty-seven now. Together with his daughter Joanna, who was seven, they played together even though they didn't speak the same language. They have been friends all these years. We had been to Au Bourguignon du Maris before and knew it would be a nice place to meet them.

After a lovely dinner and lively conversation it was back on the Metro for the trip back to our apartment. All in all, a very nice day.